


When You're Falling Free

by mizufallsfromkumo



Series: Gravity [6]
Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Caretaking, Dick is a Good Brother, Dick is hiding things, Gen, Hurt Dick Grayson, Hurt/Comfort, Jason is a good brother, Past Torture, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Secrets, lying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-22
Updated: 2018-03-22
Packaged: 2019-04-06 07:33:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14052030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mizufallsfromkumo/pseuds/mizufallsfromkumo
Summary: “Where did you go last night, Master Dick?” the butler asked absently.Dick suddenly coughed at the words.  “What?” He managed to cough out.“When I went to check on you after Master Bruce and Master Jason went out for patrol for the night, you were not there”  Alfred started easily. Glancing back slowly at the teenager, who was staring at him wide eyed again. Only this time there was a sense of panic and tenseness to him as he looked at Alfred.  “Nor were you anywhere else I could think to look in the manor. Where were you?”





	When You're Falling Free

**Author's Note:**

> I am sorry for the slight delay in getting something up for the past to weeks. Both the last two weekends were busier than expected. Not to mention this fic was a little difficult for me to write because of the POV. 
> 
> But I am happy with how it turned out. Even though I had to cut off a huge part of it, but where I ended it was better than where I planned. And works great for being in the next fic (probably...hopefully.)
> 
> Anyway, this takes place a few hours after And He Told Me I Was Holy.

It was perhaps not a huge surprise that Young Master Dick was not present at the breakfast the following morning. 

Or at least to Alfred was.

Master Bruce frowned deeply at Dick’s empty chair over his morning paper and coffee.  He perhaps stabbed his eggs in the same hard manor he did when he can’t quite figure out something about a case.  And took visible interest in Jason’s statement that he heard Dick moving around in his room for an hour after the loud sound from earlier that morning.  Along with the fact that all seemed still that morning.

“Perhaps, Young Master Dick is still sleeping.”  Alfred suggested calmly as he collected Young Master Jason’s breakfast plate when he was done.  And in all honestly that was what Alfred  _ hoped _ the young master was doing.  “It was an... _ eventful _ night, last night.”

The older butler glanced at Bruce pointedly as he spoke.

Bruce hummed in return as he turned his attentions back to the paper.  

Quickly pulling his gaze away from Alfred.  

The same he always did when he knew Alfred was disappointed in him over something.  Or he knew Alfred siding with Dick or Jason was ultimately the right thing to do. Avoiding whatever might be unsaid across Alfred’s face.

Alfred sighed to himself softly.  

He took the cup Young Master Jason handed him with a soft grin on his face.  Almost like Alfred should be proud he downed his orange juice to avoid whatever was going on between the two older men.  Alfred gave the lad a small smile and a nod of thanks before he turned to place the dishes off to the side.

Jason announced that was going to finish getting ready for the school day after a beat of silence.  Hurriedly getting out of his chair as he did so, and moving out of the dinning room like he had seconds to get ready, rather than the twenty-two minutes Alfred knew he still had.  The room stilled as they listened to Jason hurry up the stairs and out of hearing range.

“I will check on Young Master Dick shortly after ten, if he has not come down by then.”  Alfred informed moved to collect Bruce’s plate.

Bruce hummed in agreement.  

His gaze still securely fixed on an article about a whale research and conversation project taking place fifty miles off the coast of Maine.  Something Alfred knew for a fact his charge was not in the least bit actually interested in. In any way shape or form. 

Nor was the sentence he probably reread ten times anything interesting either.

“Might I suggest you take Young Master Jason to school this morning, before heading to the office.”  Alfred continued easily from his spot beside the table. “Unless, of course, you find the article about whales off the coast Maine far more interesting than anything else.”

That earned a look up from Master Bruce.

Alfred easily ignored the frown on his lips at the words.  “The supplies to fix Master Dick’s shelf are rather...put away at the moment.”  Alfred explained simply before Bruce could ask why. “I could use the time fetching them.  Not to mention, I am sure Master Dick would prefer to see someone in the manor should he rouse soon.”

Master Bruce stare up at the butler for a moment.  

A neutral expression on his face as he stared up at him.  Reading the expression on Alfred’s composed face, with slight confusion as he raised an eyebrow.  Slowly it morphed into a frown as he seemed to understand just what older man was leaving unsaid in the request.

_ Dick might not want to see you. _

Something both of them knew was a very likely possibility.

While a confrontation with Dick, might get Master Bruce some of his much wanted answers.  It would not do good for their relationship as it was. A broken delicate remain of what it once was, with the weight of whatever happened to Dick already leaning heavily on it.  Alfred would rather not find the young wards room empty again.

Bruce sighed heavily.  

“Of course, Alfred.”  He returned easily. Slowly raising from his seat at the table.

Alfred nodded, busying himself with cleaning up Bruce’s place at the table.  Carefully folding the paper back in place, and stacking the cups on the plate in hand.  Mindfully watching Bruce as he moved to exist the dining room to get finish getting ready for the day as well.  

His slight lingering was no surprise to Alfred.

The butler delicately placed the plates down in the with Master Jason’s.  Stacking them with practice ease to carry them back into kitchen for cleaning.  Pretending like he didn’t notice Master Bruce hovering in the doorway with something to say.

“I will inform Master Dick you are planning to  _ not _ to release the press lease until further notice when I see him.”  Alfred stated smoothly as he collected the dishes easily in hand.

There was a beat of silence.

“Thank you Alfred,”  Bruce returned as Alfred moved towards the door to the kitchen.

“Or course, Master Bruce.” The butler hummed absently in reply as he pushed through the doors.

* * *

“Master Richard, I do not believe cereal is an item on your current meal plan.”  Alfred said flatly as he entered the kitchen from the old servant hallway that connected to the garage.

Dick froze instantly in his spot against the kitchen island.  

His shoulders tightening and stiffening the way they use to when Alfred would catch him stealing cookies from the top cabinets.  Or he was tracked mud or general alleyway grim into the manor trying to sneak back in from some venture as Robin, or Dick, that he hadn’t either Bruce or Alfred to know about.  Like a child getting slightly caught off guard, even knowing there was a high probability it would happen, and there was no avoiding it. 

Completely different from the way the young master  _ had _ been tensing up over the past week. Not coiled and tight, so he could spring into movement once he figured out the quickest way out.

The young teen turned to look at the older butler quickly from his spot at the counter.  Still hunched over the bowl he was holding in one hand, like he was shoveling in spoonfuls before Alfred found him.  Not doubt planning to quickly wash and put everything away before Alfred ever found him. The spoon still half way in his mouth, and eyes wide like Alfred had an unexpected spotlight on him, and he was in the most unflattering position. But there was not trace of the usual fear and panic that had been in his eyes as of late.

And then a smile bloomed on his face slightly.

Dick chewed quickly, and swallowed haphazardly.  “Hey, Alf,” He grobbled over of the food still in his mouth.

Alfred raised an eyebrow at the teen.

Because he knew the teen  _ knew _ better than talking with his mouth full.

Dick quickly swallowed the rest of the food in his mouth.  He turned to face the island as he did so. Placing the bowl and spoon down hurriedly, pulling his hands away and dropping them at his side in one quick motion.

“Sorry,” He muttered weakly as he hung his head.

Something he always kind of did when Alfred caught him doing something he shouldn’t be for the first time.  Or when he was generally actually sorry about doing breaking or doing something, or making working for Alfred.

A slight charming childish sort of gesture he hadn’t quite grown out of.  And Alfred had a flicker of a hope that he never would.

But given the past eight months Dick was missing, and the state he came back in.

It was a sorry looking sight.

Staring down the the bowl and spoon like it’s the only safe thing in the room for Dick to look at as he stood eerily still.  Almost like he miss read what Alfred was mad about. Broken and fragile. 

One Alfred would rather not see. 

The butler sighed softly.  Perhaps slightly louder and more dramatic than necessary, but that was beyond the point.  “I do suppose a Cheat Day is well deserved, Master Dick.” Alfred stated simply, as he continued his way into the kitchen.

Dick glanced up at him quickly.  Something of a surprised expression.

Nothing that told Alfred the teen had expected him to scowled him about something.  Like that first night of his return to the manor. Rather genuine surprise that Alfred was offering something like that willingly.

Something, Alfred figured, was decently called for.  Alfred after all had Dick on a rather strict diet of necessary requirements to get Dick back to a healthier weight.  Carefully contracted from the soups and stews Dick ate recovering in Mount Justice for a week, to the growing portion sizes he was getting now.   All the right about of nutrients needed to get him back to full strength as soon as possible. 

And to Dick’s credit, he had been eating them with little fuss.

Save the first time Alfred slipped a sedative in Dick’s food.  

Where the butler found the teen hidden in the batcave fighting the effect.  Mentally somewhere else, before Alfred managed to calm him down enough to explain.  After that, Alfred took to telling Dick he put something in the meal to help him at most relax.

“Really, Alf?”  the teen asked in disbelief.

Alfred hummed in reply, as he carefully placed the supplies from the garage on the far counter of the kitchen. 

A large smile bloomed across Dick’s face.

He grabbed the bowl and spoon in front of him again.  Spooning whatever cereal was still left in the bowl with no hesitation.  Before reaching for the box just to the side of him and shaking in another helping of it into the bowl with the remaining milk.

“I’ll prepare some eggs and hashbrowns as well.”  Alfred stated, keeping his voice light in tone. “Along with some sausage links with some toast.  How does that sound for a Cheat Day, Master Dick?”

“Fine by me,”  Dick answered with what sounds like a cheek full of cereal.

Alfred, however, doesn’t spare him a glance.  Instead taking to pulling the necessary ingredients out of the fridge.  Taking some sense of relief that Dick hadn’t called out Alfred’s attempt to stuff something of more nutritious in him, and simply go along with it.

The butler quickly got to work preparing the food.

Starting with the toast and eggs. Quickly sliding over a small plate of toast towards the acrobat before he could pour more cereal into his bowl.  And carefully placing butter, and the berry jelly he knew Dick favored immensely in front of him. Before giving the eggs the necessary attention they needed.  Making them just the way Dick liked, and then some, before depositing them on another plate.

He easily snagged the bowl away from, when the teens attentions turned to the other food in front of him.  Placing it in the sink for washing later, and returning the cereal box to the rightful place on the pantry

Alfred turned his attention to preparing the sausage links.  Tossing them in the same pan he used for the eggs. Then when to making the hashbrowns from scratch with great care.

Glancing at Young Master Dick every so often as he ate the food in front of him, with a more notable amount to pose than with the cereal.  And as he walked around the island to curiously inspect Alfred’s cooking progress. 

Hovering around like he had when in the first year in the manor.  Watching Alfred cook and easily stay out of his way in a manner of a child who was use to being in a kitchen.  Not exactly cooking something in great detail, but being there  _ while _ someone cooked.  Something he confessed to doing with his parents years prior.

Only, now he was older and taller.  And it seemed to be more of an attempt to snag food from the pan than anything else.  Not that Alfred shooed Dick away.

It was the closest Dick had been in anyone without the slightest bit of panic to him.  The acrobat was at completely ease as he hovered around Alfred. Plate and fork in hand as he munched on eggs and toast like nothing ever happened. 

And Alfred definitely didn’t say anything when he saw Dick pluck as sausage from the pan.

“Did you sleep well, Master Dick?”  Alfred asked lightly after Dick stole a third link from the pan.  He felt Dick’s gace turn to him as he carefully shredded a potato for the hashbrowns.  “Both before and after the...incident early this morning.”

“Yeah,”  Dick said with a small shrug as he rested against the counter by Alfred.  “I mean... _ eventually _ I managed to fall back asleep after the shelf fell.”

Alfred hummed absently as he nodded.

He did he best not to find the words to be hiding something.  

But he can’t completely help it.

Not after going to Dick’s room after Master Bruce, and Young Master Jason had left to patrol.  Simply to check in that everything was alright, and assure the young master that he would see to the press release being withheld until he was ready. As well as make sure Dick wasn’t curled up in his closet barely managing to breath.  Only to open the door and find the room completely empty and the door to his small balcony adjar. Not to mention any possible way to contact him left behind.

Alfred hadn’t alerted Master Bruce to the situation.  

On the possibly that Dick simply required air and was still on manor grounds, or wondering the gardens.  Batman did not need to tear apart Gotham looking or alert the Justice League over something that could be nothing.  After all a one story drop wasn’t  _ too _ much for Young Master Dick to manage to jump from, or climb up.  He had more than frightened Master Bruce leaping off fifty story buildings and laughing about it a few times.

And definitely not when it sounded like he  _ knew _ Young Master Jason heard him moving around and was covering for  _ something _ .

“The sausage is good, Alf.”  Dick comment after a moment of silence passed over them.

“I am glad you are enjoying them.”  Alfred returned easily. Glancing at Dick as he had taking to inspecting the links with his fork.  Nudging them slightly along the surface of the pan at their process. “They should be done, you can put them on your plate and place the pan in the sink.”

Dick easily moved to just that with little else.

“Master Bruce is withholding the press release of your return until further notice.”  Alfred stated like it was a question he knew Dick was going to ask. “Whenever  _ you _ are ready for everyone to know you have returned.”

Perhaps not in that moment, but definitely in the day.

The pan half clattered in the sink like Dick was surprised by the words.

Alfred pretended not to notice how the teen turned to look at him as he pulled down another pan for the hashbrowns.  Or the slight tension that rushed back to into his shoulders before he seemed to force them to relax.

“That’s good…”  Dick said with a small nod.

He turned back to the sink to hide whatever expression fell on his face. Or whatever might be flying around in his head at the news.  Alfred heard him flick on the water after a moment. Done in a way that sounds like he was hiding whatever thought process he had at the time under his actions.

Eventually he turned the water back off.  Turning back around with an easy enough smile Alfred knew was somewhat for show, and returned to his plate of food.  Instantly no longer hovering around Alfred as he cooked. Taking back to walking to the other side of the island again, and resting against the far countertops on the opposite wall.

Alfred took to humming softly as he prepared the hashbrowns.  Still pretending to pay Dick’s shift in mood little mind for a few minutes as he cooked.  Allowing Dick to get a more than a few bites in of food, before he asked.

But it was only so long Alfred could put off asking.

“Where did you go last night, Master Dick?” the butler asked absently.

Dick suddenly coughed at the words.  “What?” He managed to cough out.

“When I went to check on you after Master Bruce and Master Jason went out for patrol for the night, you were not there”  Alfred started easily. Glancing back slowly at the teenager, who was staring at him wide eyed again. Only this time there was a sense of panic and tenseness to him as he looked at Alfred.  “Nor were you anywhere else I could think to look in the manor. Where were you?”

Dick stared at him for a moment.  Body tense and coiled to run should the need to arise as he mental debated what to do.

“I...I needed some air.”  Dick admitted, with a visibly heavy swallow.  His gaze quickly falling to the food still on his plate.  He frowned slightly, like he lost his appetite for it when he didn’t want to.  “I went for a walk...” He continued evenly, before quickly tacking on, “on the manor grounds.”  

The words ‘on the manor grounds’ more than told Alfred Dick was lying to him.

Not that he didn’t already know that from the moment Dick opened his mouth.

That was obvious.

Just like whatever happened with that morning.

Alfred just didn’t know  _ why. _

So, he simply took to nodding like he bought the answer.  It was not something outside of his wheelhouse to buy into.  And an answer enough for Alfred not to push even if Dick sense he might know he was lying.

There is the sound of Dick’s plate on the countertop of the island.

“I did not alert Master Bruce to your absence.”  Alfred stated absently as he flipped the hashbrowns.

He could almost feel Dick relax at the words.

* * *

Within in an hour of being cleared for light exercise, Dick had taken to his gymnastic equipment.  Doing more than anything Alfred considered to be  _ light  _ exercises.  Flipping and jumping from the bars to rings and back again.

All with the grace and freedom he always had. 

Effortless moving like the laws of gravity were his to bend to his will.  His tension and panic seemed to fade away into almost nothing. For once seeming at complete ease after a couple days of maneuvering around the manor to half avoid Master Bruce.

Which made Alfred hold off saying anything to the teen.

After all, Richard pushing more than he really should in recovery was nothing new.

He wasn’t going to stand around behind Master Bruce at the batcomputer and pretend to not completely know why Dick is like that.  Or assure Master Bruce things will be fine, or push him in the right direction of parenting the older teen.

Alfred settled on allowing Dick at least two hours of practice before cutting him off for lunch and some rest.  With a very light scolding reminder not to anything strenuous an hour in.

Or that had been the plan, until Alfred found Young Master Jason hovering at the doorway of the gym.  A look of amazement on his face, similar to the one as when he was first in the batcave, or the Robin costume, or the manor library.  Seemingly completely unnoticed by Dick as he peered around the door frame. Position to duck into hiding if Dick were to so much as glance in Jason’s direction, or scrambler off.

“He is quite extraordinary to watch, is he not, Master Jason?”  Alfred asked quietly.

The current Robin gave a small yelp of surprise as he turned sharply to look at Alfred.  Flushing slightly at the fact that Alfred snuck up on him. And terribly trying to disguise it as anger at being startled.  But the weak attempted stopped as he nodded in agreement with Alfred.

“Perhaps you should join him.”  Alfred suggested simply.

The two teens were still skirting around each other most days.  Dick’s anger with Bruce had him keeping Jason at a distance. Likely to avoid snapping at him unnecessary.  And Young Master Jason was simply unsure of his place with Dick suddenly back. Partly because it’s clear Dick just didn’t leave.  

“No, I don’t think--”

“That trick Master Bruce taught you four months ago, about when to fire your grappler for more momentum.”  Alfred stated simply as he held up a hand to stop Jason from talking. The younger teen nodded slightly when Alfred paused briefly.  “Master Dick taught it to him...when he was nine.”

It was something Alfred could never forget.  The look on Master Bruce’s face when he realized how right Dick was at the moment was priceless.  Simply because Dick at the time only had the fact that it worked and was fun, instead of actual science or math.  And then Bruce had to deal with the smug nine year old for a week.

Jason gaped at him for a moment.  Before whipping around to glance at Dick, who had taken to hanging upside down from one of the double bars.  Looking like he was taking a moment to catch his breath before he started jumping around some more. Stray hairs that had escaped from his quick bun dangling towards the ground.

“Master Bruce won’t take any mind to you taking some initiative in your training.”  Alfred continued. 

The butler easily peeled Jason away from the door frame.  Quickly giving him a slight shove into the room, something the current Robin half stumbled into.  Alfred following him a few steps behind him.

“Master Dick, I believe I told you  _ light _ exercise was permitted.”  Alfred started as Dick effortly swung up to sit on top of the bar rather than dangle from him.  He quickly looked at Jason, before he melted into sheepishness at Alfred’s words. However Alfred cut him off before he could say anything.  “The amount of sweat on your body suggests you have been doing more. You might not have stitches, but your ribs are still technically broken.”

“Yes, Alfred.”  Dick huffed.

He leaned back to dramatically drop back into dangling from the bar.  A slight pout on his face as he swung slightly. 

“Before I leave you to prepare some lunch, I must say Young Master Jason has a terrible dismount.”  Alfred added loosely as he turned to leaving the room. Ignoring Jason’s small cry of his name at the statement as he paused in the doorway.  “I do believe I can consider teaching him a better one light exercise.”

“Really?”  Dick said quickly.  

Alfred doesn’t have to look to know Dick is smiling widely.  Or that he his looking at Young Master Jason like he just told him the best news ever.

“I mean, if you want to.”  Jason stated offhandedly.

Dick snorted loudly as Alfred started to walk down the hall.

* * *

The heavy sound of something falling woke Alfred up with a start.

He quickly rose from his bed, hurriedly grabbing the fine robe Master Jason he gifted him last christmas.  Slipping on his easily slipping on his hardy slippers as he harshly tore his door open.

Hurriedly, the butler made his way down the hall.  Far more grace and composure than the first time he heard the sound.

Or the second.

Or even the third.

He made his way to Dick’s room.  Already knowing it was the source of the loud sound.  As it had been the last three times it happened over the past week.  After all, once was an anomaly, twice was a coincidence, three times was the start of a patten,

To some luck though, Master Bruce and Young Master Jason were away on mission on the other side of the word.  Scheduled to return no later than lunch in the coming day. So Alfred did not have to worry about Jason unsure of what to do at the door, while Dick half tells him to go away.  Or Master Bruce delicately trying to press his way in with fraying nerves, while he stared at the door inches from kicking it down. Only withholding on the off chance Dick reacted violently.

“Master Dick,”  Alfred started with a light tap of his knuckle against the door.  

He didn’t bother trying the handle.  Master Dick had taken to locking it whenever he was in his room, after Alfred told him he knew he was missing.  He mostly did it at night, when he tried to sleep, but a few times during the day when he closed himself to do something Alfred could only guess.

“Is everything alright?”  The butler continued with a light question.

“Yup.” Dick answered hurriedly, popping the ‘p’ loudly.  His voice sounding oddly like it was coming from a high spot in respect to the door.  “Everything is fine.”

“Another shelf fall?”  Alfred asked calmly. 

Easily tossing out Dick’s usual lie for him to take.

The butler knew it was a lie from the start.  The sound was too  _ loud _ to be a simply shelf falling and waking Dick up.  If that were true, it would perhaps rouse Young Master Jason, and possibly Master Bruce if he was in his room at the time.  Even if Dick clattered around in a panic still wouldn’t be that loud.

Yet Alfred had found nothing out of place to prove otherwise.

After all Dick could surely not lift signal handedly lift anything larger than his bedside tables in his room if one fell over for some reason.

Leaning towards the door slightly, Alfred hear the sounds of bed springs.  Protesting slightly in a way Alfred thought sounded like someone jumping on the bed.  Followed not to long after by Dick’s soft steps to the door.

“No, it was a picture frame this time.”  Dick informed lightly. “It’s fine, I can fix it.”

“Are you sure, Master Dick?”  Alfred asked simply. 

Because that was too small of an object to even be close to the sound.  To obvious of a lie, for even Alfred to reasonably play along with. Both of them knew that.

Dick was silent for a few moments.

“Yes,” he stated firmly after what felt like a moment of hesitation.  “Sorry for waking you Alfred.”

Alfred hummed loudly as he swallowed a sigh.  

He reminded Master Dick of where to find him, should the teen need him for anything.  With a very clear by heavy on the emphasis on the fact of anything. Before he took to walking back towards his room.  

* * *

“How’s Dick been adjusting?”  Ms. Lance asked as Alfred carefully stored away her coat.

Alfred paused for a moment.  Easily delaying by tinkering with her jacket, so it hung just so in the right spot.  Trying to figure out just what to say to Ms. Lance.

Since the last time she was there, little hand changed.  Master Dick still had moments of panic over what seemed to be nothing, and he quickly secluded himself.  Keeping to himself most of the time. His relationship with Master Bruce was still a broken mess either hadn’t gotten around to touching.  Nor did it seem like Dick wanted to after the dinner instident.

If anything that seemed to set him back a few steps.

Nor had he opened up any about his eight month abesense to anyone.  Not even the slightest of hits to anything new. Leaving everyone to just guess what happened based on the little facts in front of them.  

None of which Alfred liked.

Yet there were moments, few and growing less further between, that Master Dick seemed to return to how he was.  Almost like nothing ever happened to him.

He had a decently length conversation with Master Bruce and Master Jason the night prior.  Easily voice an opinion on a case like he use to do with Bruce of dinner for years. And Master Bruce had been smart enough to not use Dick’s sudden return of chattiness to get some of his wanted answers. 

But as quickly as the moment came, it shifted away again.  Master Dick cut himself off some say something. Visibly seeming to go somewhere dark in his own mind, before excusing himself from the dinner table.  Vanish for about an hour before Alfred found him working out in the gym.

With a small sigh, Alfred turned to look at Ms. Lance.  “I do not believe much has changed from your last visit.”  He stated simply. It earned him a sympathetic look from Ms. Lance as he moved to lead her into the seating room. “That being said, it would appear the ability of his ‘light’ exercises has brighten his spirits some.” Alfred added, briefly using air quotes at the word light.

“It will take time, Alfred.”  Ms. Lance assured lightly. She reached out to rest a hand on the butlers shoulder as she gave him a small grin.  “But I do believe Dick will overcome whatever happened to him. Have faith.”

Faith was not something Alfred was exactly lacking in.

“Or course,” Alfred nodded out.  “Shall I prepare the same tea as last time.”

Ms. Lance nodded with a warm smile.  “That would be lovely, thank you.” She paused for a moment before continuing.  “Oh and Alfred, if you have time after the session, there are a few things that might help with Dick’s recovery.”

Alfred nodded before as he opened the seating room for Ms. Lance.  Before he turned to find Master Dick somewhere in the manor.

* * *

“Ah, Master Dick, there you are.”  Alfred declared when he found Master Dick hunched the living room coffee table.

The teen was hurriedly scribbling away in a notebook.  A collection of papers scattered about on the table as well.  A mix of what looked to be reports and case files Master Bruce had done in Dick’s time away.  Likely trying to caught up on what happened while he was gone. As well as a huge few sheets of varying calculations and scribbled notes, Alfred was sure only Dick could make any real sense of.

He stopped his writing and quickly glanced up at the butler.

“That is quiet the spread you have, Master Dick.”  Alfred comment as he leaned slightly from his spot behind the couch.  Glancing down that the papers with little care or interest.

Master Dick’s detective process was always...spread out and vast on a good day.

“Did Jason complain?”  Dick asked with something an annoyed look.  “I told I didn’t mind if he stayed, but he couldn’t take the mess.  I merely told him to go somewhere else if he was going to complain.  _ He  _ left.”

Master Jason had in fact complained. 

Not exactly to Alfred.  

More to his math textbook than anything else as he worked on his homework for the evening. Grumbling and muttering about how Dick wouldn’t let him move a paper to have room to work.  Along with a few choice words, Master Jason swallowed when Alfred cleared his throat.

But it had given Alfred a clue to where the older teen was.

“Technically not to me, no.”  Alfred answered. “Do hope his math textbook won’t do anything drastic about his complaints.”

Dick snorted at the moment loudly at the comment. 

“Like to see it try.” He muttered to himself as his flipped his notebook closed.  Turning back to Alfred. “What can I do for you Alf?” Alfred raised an eyebrow at the teen, causing the other to sigh.  “Your ‘ah, there you are’ was a clear give away you were looking for me. Meaning you either need me to do something, or dinner is ready.  And unless we’re having an early bird special...I doubt it’s the latter. So…”

“In all the excitement of your return, it recently occured to me, we missed you for both your birthday and Christmas last year.”  Alfred stated evenly.

He hadn’t forgotten the fact at all.

December had been something quite different without Dick’s presence.

For everyone.  

Master Bruce had taken more time in the Batcave and League duties.  Anything that seemed to keep him out of the house and the lack of usual festive cheer Dick stirred up the moment Thanksgiving seemed to be done.  Master Jason had done his best to help Alfred, but it was still not the same.

Alfred pushed the thoughts out of his mind.

Carefully he moved the box he was hiding from behind his back.  The delicately wrapped christmas gift Alfred had stored away Christmas morning.  Something that was perhaps useless not the Gotham was starting to warm for the spring.

Master Dick started at the box held out towards him.  A look of something that Alfred could only think to describe as amazement.  A clear sort of awe like Dick had never been handed anything like it before.  

Carefully the acrobat stood.  Reaching out and lightly taking the box from Alfred’s hands.  Almost like it would crumble and vanish in his grasp if he wasn’t careful.  Deflating into the couch as he stared at the gift, running a thumb against the silken ribbon Alfred had wrapped around it.

“You know, I didn’t even realize it was Christmas Eve until a little girl gave me a candy cane in a homeless shelter in Denver, and wished me a Merry Christmas...”  Dick stated distantly as he started down at the present.

Alfred turned to look at the teen.  

Eyes widening as he realized what the teen was saying.  But he didn’t dare say anything. Afraid of breaking the moment that was unfolding before him.

“Everyone was avoiding me…”  Dick continued, in a distant manner.  Like he was drifting in a memory he had half forgotten.  “She told me I looked sad, and I shouldn’t be sad on Christmas...and I realized the date.  I was so...out of it then...I didn’t even realize…”

Dick turned to glance at Alfred.

And suddenly it was like everything pulled back at the sight of the butler.

Whatever memory had clouded over him, pulled back sharply.  Shoved back down into the depths of Dick’s mind once again. Panic flickered across his face for a moment, and Alfred half suspected Dick to run and hide.  

But he didn’t.

Rather turned back to the present in hand.

“Thank you, Alfred.”  Dick said weakly. “I’ll open it later, okay?”

“Of course, Master Dick.”  Alfred nodded, and turned on his heels, leaving Master Dick alone.

* * *

Master Bruce is unsurprisingly in the Batcave when Alfred went to find him.

And he’s unsurprisingly at the typing away at the Batcomputer.  The screen littered with what looked to be a collection of reports for the GCPD and chemical analysis of somethings.  Master Bruce’s attention fulling on the screens as Alfred approached calmly.

Though, Alfred knew his charge knew he was there.

“A homeless shelter in Denver, Christmas Eve.”  Alfred stated simply after Bruce paused slightly in his typing.

Everything came to a full stop for a moment.

“What?”  Master Bruce asked as he turned to look at Alfred.

“Master Dick, sir.”  Alfred continued like it answered Bruce’s question.  

The statement only caused him to raise an eyebrow at the butler in more confusion.

“He was in a homeless shelter somewhere in Denver on Christmas Eve.”  Alfred clearfield easily enough. 

Knowing there were times when even the greatest detective needed to be handed pieces of the puzzle.

Bruce’s eyes went wide with realization.

“He just informed me.”  Alfred stated before Bruce could even ask.  He calmly head up a hand to keep his charge from rushing forward to question his first ward.  “I do not think he fulling intended to say anything, it simply came out and I was there to hear it.”

“Did he mention a name?”  Bruce asked weakly.

Alfred shook his head slowly.  

They were vague details, but they were still details.

Bruce sighed heavily as he turned back to the Batcomputer.  Quickly typing in a few commands. The files he had opened quickly disappearing from the screen.

A map of the whole United States pulled up on the screen once it was clear enough.  Two small dots clearly labeled on the map. One in Metropolis, marked with the date from a little over a month ago, when Mr. Kent first called about Dick being in his apartment.  And the other in Star City, the date a week later the one in Metropolis.

Alfred watched as Bruce hurriedly typed away at the screen.  A third dot quickly appearing to mark Denver with the Christmas Eve date.

“What was he doing, Alfred?”  Bruce asked after a moment of staring at the three dots on the map.

None of the dots made any since.

There was a good three month gap between Denver and Metropolis.  Which if Dick was trekking around on foot, might have made sense.  Though highly unlikely, for a collection of reasons. Not the week jump across the country still made no sense.  All three cities had ways for Dick have gotten back to Gotham in the blink of an eye...and yet, he only used the one in Star.

If anything the third dot just added more questions.

Alfred sighed as he stared at the map.  “I do not know, sir. I do not know.” He stated weakly.

**Author's Note:**

> So, I did struggle with Alfred's POV a little bit. Hopefully I did a decent job and it's not too bad. But I really wanted to do a fic from Alfred's perspective, for a lot of reason. One it was a good way to show how closed off Dick is actually being about things, and distant he can be.
> 
> Bruce and Dick still haven't sorted themselves out. Bruce is trying to give Dick some space, because he is jumpy about things Bruce can only imagine. And Dick is avoiding him, for a lot of reason. They will hash it out eventually, I am just putting it off because I am a cowards and don't want to do it right now. But yeah...it will happen.
> 
> Also, I originally hadn't planned for anyone to know Dick left the manor. It was just going to something the readers and Dick only know. But when the idea to have Alfred know struck me I couldn't pass it up, because one he probably would know and it made perfect sense, and two...drama. But also because Dick does need someone he can sort of trust.
> 
> Anyway hope you all enjoyed.


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